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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 1. F. WESTMEYER.

LIFTING APPARATUS'FOR RAILROAD'RAILS. No. 316,320. Patented Apr! 21, 1885 (No Model.) 4'sneetsfshem; 2.

F. WESTMEYER. LIFTING APPARATUS FOR RAILROAD RAILS.

No. 316,820. Patented Apr 21, 1885.

2245263555 .jnvenzof (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

F. WESTMEYER.

. LIFTING APPARATUS FOR RAILROAD RAILS.

No. 316,320. Patented Ap rc 21, 1885.

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(No Model.) I 4 SheetsSheet 4.

F. WESTMEYER.

LIFTING APPARATUS-FOR RAILROAD RAILS.

Patented Apr: 21, 1885.

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IJNiTJE STATES PATENT met.

LIFTING APPARATUS FOR RAILROAD=RA|LS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,320, dated April 21, 1885.

Application filed December 29, 1884. (No model.) Patented in Germany February 12, 1884, No. 27,901; in Belgium February 14, 1884, No. 64,163; in France February 16, 1884, No. 160,368. and in England February 20, 1884, No. 23,661.

To all whom it 11mg concern.-

Be it known that I, FRIEDRICH WESTMEY- ER, a subject of the King of Prussia, residing at St. Johann-on-the-Saar, in the Kingdom of Prussia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lifting Apparatus for Railroad-Rails, (for which Letters Patent have been obtained in the following countries: in Germany by Patent No. 27,901, dated February 12, 1884; in Great Britain, Patent No. 3,661, February 20,1884; in Belgium, Patent No. 64,163, February 14, 1884, and in France, No.160,368,dated February 16,1881,) of which the following is a specification.

For placing boxing material under the sleepers of rails the means hitherto employed for lifting up the rails consisted of levers and ordinary jacks. My invention relates to a new rail-lifting jack by the use whereof the boxing of the sleepers may be effected in a less dangerous manner for the workmen, as well as for the trains running over the rails to be boxed. A considerable saving of time and labor will also be obtained by the application of the apparatus hereinafter described.

In the rail-liftingjack shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings, a is an axlelodged in the bearing b. On the axle a is fixed an eccentric, which is preferably cast in one piece (cast-steel) with the toothed wheel at, and a guide-box, 6, so that in turning the toothed wheel (I by means of the worm f the eccentric c on the axle a is also turned.

In making use of this apparatus the jack is put underneath the foot of the rail in such way that the latter reposes upon the eccentrio 0. The bearing or frame I) is then placed in a firm position by pushing under it gravel, &c. In turning the worm by means of a key the eccentric c is also turned, whereby the rail and the track are lifted up.

The dimensions of the apparatus are determined in such way that after removing the key no part thereof will project over the upper face of the rails, and the trains may pass without any inconvenience.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a modification of the above-described apparatus. The eccentric c of the previous arrangement is replaced in this case by a cog-wheel, g, which propels the wedge h,by means of arack on the under side thereof, under the rail and lifts it up.

Another modification is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The cover z, together with its footplate, of corresponding size, incloses thetoothed wheel-segment 7c turning on its axle, the teeth of which engage with worm 6. On the opposite side the segment 70 has another toothed segment, m,which in turn engages with asimilar segment, a. This toothed wheel-segment it bears a spur, 0, which passes underneath the rail to be lifted. If the worm e be turned,

the spur 0 will raise the rail correspondingly.

Another modification of the, liftingjack is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. A box com-. posed of a foot-plate and cover has the spurwheels 1) and q inclosed in it. The wheel 1; has cast upon it an upright worm or screw,on

which the gear-nut r, guided by the lugs s s,

moves up and down. As soon as the spurwheels 19 and q are set in motion, the gear-nut r rises or falls, and thereby lifts or lowers the rail which it supports. The projection t, in one piece with the nut r, is used for shorter lifts.

It will be seen that in each construction of lifting apparatus hereinbefore described and shown there is a worm and a gear for lifting the rail.

' Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a lifting apparatus, the combination of a worm and a gear operated thereby for raising a railroad-rail, substantially as described.

2. In a lifting apparatus, the combination ofalifting device adapted to engage a rail, a worm and a gear operated thereby for raising the rail, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a lifting apparatus, of a rotating wheel provided with an upright worm or screw and a nut engaging the worm or screw and elevated by the rotation of the wheel, substantially as described.

4t.- The combination of a rotating spurwheel having a rigidly-attached upright worm or screw, a gear-nut arranged upon and engaging the worm or screw, and a pinion engaging the spur-wheel for rotating it, substan- In testimony whereof I have signed my name tially as described. to this specification in the presence of two sub- 5. The combination ofa rotating wheel having a rigidly-attached worm or screw with 5 a nut engaging the worm or screw and having a rigidly-attached lateral projection to J. GRUND, engageunderarai],substantially as described. l A. S. HoGUE, 

